Retail establishments typically enjoy the separate benefits of various support systems. Thus, in the area of inventory
and pricing, it is customary for a supermarket or like facility retailing articles to have the advantage of the cooperation of universal product code (UPC) reading, as by laser scanners, and an inventory and price storage unit. In such instances, article checkout has a degree of automation, whereby pricing totalizing data and inventory decrementing information entered into the support systems upon operator scanning of product code markings. There results an automated price totalization and inventory updating.
Another support system looks to control of pilferage. This system may take on any one of several forms, generally referred to as electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, and involving the tagging of articles for purchase. Low frequency (magnetic) or high frequency (microwave and/or ratio frequency) energy is typically radiated into a control or surveillance zone, e.g., a checkout or exit area, and the tag is responsive, under theft conditions, to incident radiated energy to indicate an alarm condition.
Presently known support systems of the price and inventory control type have limitation in being dependent upon the so-called "bar code" indicium applied to articles, which is a fixed digital representation of product code identification. Upon laser scanner reading of same, such support systems resort fully to computer stores of pricing information, thus failing to provide consumer-readable pricing information on the article itself.
Likewise, presently known support systems of the EAS variety have limitation in not having coordinate action with other support systems.
In applicant's view, the present separation of coordination of the available retail facility support systems does not effect desired efficiency in retail facilities and optimum usage of the support systems thereof.